COMMON NAME:
► Solenia Begonia
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
► Begonia Solenia
GROWERS HINTS:
► When growing inside the house keep them a little on the dry side with good air circulation. Remember Solenia want to be watered but they can get quite dry and be happy.Your Solenia begonia should be good for a year or maybe more.
GROWTH HABITS:
► It should bloom until frost, or Nov-Dec. If you are lucky and it blooms all the time you will need to give it an occasional trim to keep it compact. When your plant begins to pass its peak bloom period it is important to clean away all the spent flowers. If you want to try for another round of blooms this is what you do. Let it go 7 days without water, then cut back to 3 or 5 inches above the pot. Continue 5 more days of no water. This sort of gives the plant a mini-dormancy period.
Water and follow with a liquid feeding. You may also let the foliage hang down from the pot, allowing the light to reach the center. After new growth starts, prune off the old growth. Pick off some of the biggest leaves to allow the young leaves to come along. If everything goes well, and you are living right, the plant should regrow, get pinched again and re-bloom. (These types of Begonias do not really make a tuber. They can make a small semi tuber.)
SHADE/SUN:
► In coastal area you can have had them in full sun or in shade with good results. In full or part sun further inland be sure to keep them watered. Even though they will take the full sun they will look better with some shade during the hot part of the day.
FEEDING AND WATERING:
► Remember Solenia want to be watered but they can get quite dry and be happy. Feed regularly. See growth habits for watering and feeding to get another round of blooms.
FLOWER/FOLIAGE COLOR(S):
► White, red, orange, yellow, and two shades of pink.
SEASON(S) CARRIED AT WEIDNER’S:
► Spring/Summer
CONTAINER OR GROUND:
► Solenia is the first of the Reiger (elatior) type of begonias that is hybridized to be tough enough to be called a ‘Bedding Begonia’. That means you can plant them right in the ground. Solenia will also go inside like a regular Rieger begonia, in a bright open window area.
PARTICULAR PESTS:
► Watch out for aphids, spider mites or thrips…and of course whiteflies.
